'Ethereum Co-founder Vitalik Buterin Spurs Debate on Classification of Layer 2 Scaling Solutions'
Summary:
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently ignited discussions on the classification of several layer 2 scaling solutions. He claimed that the blockchain's validiums aren't actual rollup solutions. Buterin suggested terminological changes in defining these tools. The debate on whether validiums are Layer 2 networks emerged, with validiums' data availability being the key contention point. The layer 2 industrial analytics platform L2Beat argues that validiums aren't Layer 2s, contradicting some Ethereum community members.
In a recent discussion initiated by the co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, the categorization of multiple layer 2 scale-up methods was put into question. Buterin declared that validiums on blockchain don't fall within the true meaning of rollup solutions. On 16th January, Buterin agreed with Daniel Wang, the creator of Ethereum's rollup answer Taiko, who commented on X (Twitter) stating that if another data chain supports the data accessibility for the Ethereum rollup, say the modular blockchain Celestia, then it should be classified as Ethereum validium. Concurring with this, Vitalik Buterin stated, “If the iron-clad safety assurance that allows for asset retrieval even in the face of collusion depends on an external system for data availability, such a setup cannot be considered a rollup."
Validium, a method of scaling Ethereum, uses zero-knowledge proofs to execute off-chain transactions whilst still dependent on Ethereum's primary network for validation and security. Unlike ZK-rollups, validiums do not post transaction data to an Ethereum-like Layer 1(L1) network, rather they batch transactions on a Layer 2(L2) network and have them validated on Layer 1(L1). Instead, validiums put forth cryptographic proofs of valid transactions, a system that aims for greater scalability since the full data of transactions need not be stored on-chain. However, on the flip side, the data availability in validiums can be reduced as compared to rollups since they count on operators to honestly post proofs.
Modularly constructed blockchain networks like Celestia, consisting of data availability layers and validation layers, use validiums to facilitate private and rapid transactions. In an article posted on the decentralized social media platform Warpcast on 16th January, Buterin suggested a terminological adjustment, proposing the replacement of "security favoring" and "scale favoring" with "strong" and "light" respectively, with the intent of greater brevity.
However, Buterin's proposals haven't seen universal agreement, garnering opposition from Ethereum community members like Ryan Berckmans, who deemed validiums as Layer 2 networks. Berckmans contended that a Layer 2 is a chain that settles on Ethereum, and stubbornly maintained that the data availability (DA) lies with Ethereum to be a Layer 2. He declared, “We have the liberty to define ‘L2’ as per our convenience in this nascent industry. The most useful definition of L2 includes both rollups and validiums.”
In stark contrast to Berckmans' statements, L2Beat, a Layer 2 industry analytics platform, contends that Validiums aren't Layer 2s. They argue, "Validiums and Optimiums cease to be L2s as the absence of data posting on L1 leads to extra trust assumptions.
Published At
1/17/2024 8:10:46 AM
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